Hideous Appetites - Adrenechrome (2012)

Hideous Appetites - Adrenechrome (2012)
N/A
Thrash Metal/Sludge Metal/Stoner Metal

Thrash metal is a massively influential genre that, some will argue, evolved way too fast. It managed to quickly push all extremities to the maximum in as little as two years, spawning death metal in 1985, only two years after Metallica’s debut. And with that, a lot of bands didn’t really have the space to perfectly evolve the genre on their own, and some say that may be half to blame for thrash’s decline. But sometime in the mid 2000s there was a massive spike in interest for thrash metal, which led the way for a wave of bands that were dubbed “retro-thrash.” Simply put, bands such as Warbringer, Evile, Gama Bomb, Nuclear Holocaust, and Bonded by Blood played in styles akin to bands of the genre in the mid '80s such as Exodus, Testament, Death Angel, and Destruction. But even though those bands put out honest, entertaining releases they really struggled to move out of the shadow of their influences. But with the 2011 release of Vektor’s Outer Isolation, we were shown that a more original, unique take on the genre was very much possible. In light of that, I think we have another band that has managed to release an original, creative spin on the genre: Adrenechrome and their debut, Hideous Appetites.

Giving thrash new hope, Vektor's Outer Isolation (2011)

Adrenechrome at first seems like a straightforward thrash metal band. But as their songs progress, more and more sludge and stoner metal elements are thrown in to create an interesting amalgamation of styles. Some people may find this somewhat of a contradiction of styles, as thrash is known to be a lot more fast-paced and furious with its riffing while sludge, which comes from doom metal, is generally slow and crushing. But since thrash and sludge both share an ancestry in hardcore punk, connections can be made; and that’s exactly what Adrenechrome took advantage of here, adding the more thrash-friendly elements from High on Fire, Neurosis, (early) Mastodon, Kylesa, and The Melvins.

As I mentioned, the general riff of Adrenechrome is very much that of thrash metal. But while the general riff is a lot faster, Adrenechrome manages to throw in some nasty sludge riffs, which are as monolithic in their heaviness as they are ominous and sinister. But although sludge riffs are played at a more mid-paced speed, the hardcore drumming leaves it open to work in a quick environment as well. As such, the sludge riffs tend to fit quite comfortably between the razor-sharp thrash base that carries the band. Adrenechrome also manages to throw some stoner metal influences into the pot as well, sometimes switching from soaring dual lead bits to more clean, psychedelic and bluesy stoner metal passages that create the same sereneness one could expect from more atmospheric thrash classics like “Orion” or “Return to Serenity.” But while they are serene, the band sometimes shifts this tranquility into dark and sinister territory, reminiscent of Slayer’s clean passages—showing again the band’s ability to perfectly amalgamate the complimentary elements of each genre. 

Adrenechrome: Chris Friesen, Mike Van Dyk, Matt Copeland, Tim Kehoe

In the end, Adrenechrome’s Hideous Appetites is a gem. While it’s very naturally a thrash record, the way it manages to amalgamate sludge and stoner into itself so masterfully definitely gives it a refreshing, relevant take on the genre. The playing is tight in every department and the lyrics are awesome as hell. Songs such as “Titan’s Fall” and “Locust Wings” are so catchy that they will probably be stuck in your head for days. With that, I think if Adrenechrome play their cards right and keep their innovative style of thrash fresh they may end up getting a lot of deserved attention. I look forward to seeing what they do in the future. 7.5/10

Best Songs: Titan’s Fall, The Horror, Hobbled, Locust Wings, Hymn for the Heathens
Titan's Fall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3gyx8-Qczs